About the Artist
A fascination with interesting places and other cultures began when I moved from my hometown of Green Bay, Wisconsin to Hawaii. Over the years, I have lived all over the United States as well as visited intriguing places and other cultures throughout the world. Just seeing a new place is never enough. Researching the destination and the peoples to be visited is always an essential component of any trip, as is journaling each day’s adventures.
Since my immersion into photography, the challenge of capturing the spirit and ambiance of a location through the camera lens has added another rich dimension to my travel experiences. Photography has taught me to observe a location with much more detail, interest, and accuracy. The art of photography has enabled me to reveal not only the grand landscapes of an area, but also the smaller elements that make each location unique.
While I have always loved the visual arts and studied art history in college, there was not an intrinsic or burning desire to create paintings or sculptures. Photography is different. It awakened a part of me I did not know existed, a place of time-stopping focus and energy. Since the first time I saw an image appear magically in the darkroom chemical tray, photography has been a passion. From that moment, I wanted to learn everything possible about the fascinating process of creating photographs. Superb instructors I have studied with over the years have stressed not only perfection in technical craftsmanship, but also the importance pleasing my aesthetic heart.
A fascination with all types of photographic processes has led me to create images in black and white, color, infrared, platinum, palladium, Van Dyke, cyanotype, and other mediums. The unusual creative techniques of Polaroid Emulsion Transfers, Emulsion Lifts, and SX-70 Manipulations hold a special appeal. In 2001, I developed a curriculum and began teaching workshops using these exciting methods. Since then, I have been invited to teach Polaroid techniques at Palomar College, PhotoArtsGroup Artist’s Photographic Retreat, Women in Photographic Arts Workshop, and the International Exhibition of Photography at the San Diego County Fair.
As an active member of the photography art scene, I am an original member of the PhotoArts Group and was its 2008 President. Other memberships include Women in Creative Photography, Escondido Arts Partnership, and Museum of Photographic Art. It has been a privilege to show images in galleries and juried shows and to be recognized with prestigious awards at numerous juried venues.